Vindication
by Aggie Escott
Summary: Hotch and Rossi go to a restaurant to calm Hotch's nerves the day before he is due to go back to work. Events take an unexpected turn.
1. The Restaurant

**Vindication  
**Chapter 1  
The Restaurant

"_**In a **__**restaurant**__** one is both observed and unobserved. Joy and sorrow can be displayed and observed "unwittingly," **__**" – David Mamet**_

They could get nothing from the victimology, and the MO was different. But the signature was there: a photograph of the victim with a cross through the face taped to a mirror in each of the three cases. The victim's bodies had been dumped seven to ten days later. Pathology indicated that the victims had been alive for most if not all that time.

Dave stared down at the pictures. Three women, aged between thirty and sixty. One had been shot, the other two strangled. He called the photo lab.

'Would it be possible to tell if these pictures are all from the same photograph, or have they been taken at different times.............? Ok thank you. And please treat it as urgent.'

He put down the phone. They had had the case for a little over twenty four hours, since the last victim was found, as so far they had made no progress whatsoever. He had sent the team home, hoping for fresh eyes in the morning.

He thought it would be good to have Hotch back.

-0-0-0-

'.....so now I'm ready to return to work, Dave. It's nerve racking. It's been so long!'

'I can understand. My return to the BAU was different to yours, but I was still very nervous. How about we go out and do something, take your mind off it for a while.'

'Well, I.... er... '

'I'll be there in thirty minutes, Aaron.' and he put the phone down. Hotch looked at the receiver and sighed.

'I suppose it can't hurt.' he said to himself and went to the bathroom to shower and change.

His right hand was no longer bandaged, but it still hurt – although that was something he kept to himself – and he walked with a pronounced limp. That could be permanent, the doctor had said, but he could still run, although maybe not as fast as he used to. It wouldn't affect his work, he had said, and now, the day before he was due back, he was starting to second guess himself. What if he wasn't ready?

The last two months had been particularly harrowing for Hotch. He had known men who couldn't cope with being raped once giving up on life. He had endured multiple rapes and beatings. Some of his confidence was lost, and he didn't want anyone to know. He hadn't even told Dave how he felt, although he had been there for him every step of his recovery. He knew Dave too well.

He suddenly thought, as he let the hot water run through his hair, that Dave knew him too, and probably knew how he felt. He smiled to himself. That's what comes with working with the world's top profilers.

He dressed in a pair of black jeans, a crisp white tee shirt, and a waist coat. He toyed with the idea of wearing a shirt and tie, but it always made him feel overdressed against Dave, and he put the shirt back in his wardrobe. He was just coming downstairs when the doorbell rang.

He opened the door to Dave, and looked past him down the road.

'You expecting someone else?' Dave said.

'Uh no.' Hotch said. 'I just thought I was being followed earlier. The car's gone now though.' He looked at Dave's concerned face. 'It's ok, I'm not paranoid!'

'That's all right then. You ready?'

'Almost. Come in while I finish. I need to shave.'

Dave sat in Hotch's new living room. He was glad Hotch had moved from the big house he used to share with Haley. He knew from experience that it helped in the moving on to move home. There was nothing of Haley here, just the presence of a second bedroom for Jack when he came to stay. He thanked heaven, not for the first time, that he had no children.

'Ok I'm ready.' he announced, and Dave stood up.

'I've booked us a table at the Italiano. I think you'll like it. Italian how Mum used to make it.'

The two men left the house, and headed towards the cars.

'I'll drive, Aaron, then you can have a drink. You need to loosen up.'

I am loosened up!' Hotch declared, pointing to his tie-less throat.

Dave looked at him with exasperation as they got into his car.

'Relax and enjoy yourself.' he said, knowing in his heart that it was nigh on impossible for Hotch to do that.

-0-0-0-

The restaurant that Rossi had picked was perfect. Unobtrusive waiters, soft music and a wonderful smell of Italian cooking. It was quite crowded, but there was a window table free, and Rossi asked if they could have that seat. It was a little way from the closest table, and Dave guessed that the conversation would turn to serial killers sooner or later through the evening, however hard he tried to keep the conversation away from work. They sat down by the window and leisurely perused the menu. The food arrived quickly and Dave ordered Perrier for himself and picked a bottle of dry white wine for Hotch. Aaron smiled in approval.

'How did you know?........' he asked.

'I'm a profiler!' was Dave's response.

Suddenly Hotch put down his fork.

'Ok, so tell me about the case.'

'You are supposed to be relaxing!' Dave responded, but he sighed and went on, 'All right, I suppose you will know tomorrow anyway.'

He went on to describe the case. Three women, abducted, held prisoner for a week to ten days, killed, and dumped. He told Hotch about the signature photograph, and the inconsistent MO.

'Two strangulations and a shooting.' he finished.

'So, more than one killer working together.' Hotch said. 'Strangling is personal, whereas shooting isn't.'

'That's what we thought.' Dave said. 'But we can't seem to find a connection between the women.'

'Well, the photographs prove that it isn't random, so there must be a connection.' Hotch said.

'I have got the lab working on finding out whether the photographs are from one larger picture or not.'

'These murders are mission killings. They have a list and they are going through it. The point is, how does one qualify to be on the list?'

'And why are they kept alive for a week before they are killed?' Dave said. 'So far we have come up with nothing regarding that.'

'Were the women beaten or tortured?' Hotch asked, his own experience still at the fore.

'Yes, it looked as if they had been beaten. There were signs of sexual activity in the woman who was shot, and it appeared to be consensual, although we can't be certain of that.'

'Were the bodies displayed or just dumped?' Hotch asked.

'Dumped, with a minimal effort to hide them. They were dumped in the woods away from pathways and popular locations.'

'So the UnSubs know the woods. Local do you think?'

'Possibly. Only two of the victims were local. The other was from out of state, but brought here either before or after death for dumping.'

'Had the out of state victim ever lived in or near Quantico?' Hotch asked, picking up his fork again. The food was too good to let it get cold.

'No. But enough shop talk. Let's change the subject.'

'Ok, I'll go first!' Hotch laughed. 'How are Reid and Prentiss?'

'Reid has been back for a few weeks now, and is doing fine. His foot still gives him trouble, but other than that, he seems to have recovered well.'

Hotch thought back to the occasion just before Reid went back to work, he visited Hotch at home to give him the news. Reid had not mentioned their relationship, and Hotch was glad. He hated having to say 'no' to Reid after all they had been through, especially at the hand of Kaye, but Reid avoided the subject, and they had had coffee together and chatted about work and past cases. Emily on the other hand had come over several times and asked to be given another chance. Hotch had had to say 'no' to her. His heart was broken and bruised, and he was nursing it carefully. He wasn't ready for a relationship. After the rapes, he thought it would be a long time, if ever, before he would be able to see sex as an expression of love rather than one of greed and hatred.

Yes. It would be a long time.

He jumped back to the present as Dave put his hand on Hotch's shoulder.

'Hey, Aaron, where are you?'

'Oh sorry. Yes.... what were you saying?'

'Prentiss – she seems to be throwing herself into her work. I take it that you two are no longer involved.'

'No we're not. I'm not ready yet.'

'Don't rush it, Aaron. There's plenty of time.'

'The voice of experience!' Hotch said with a grin, sipping his wine. 'Excuse me; I need the men's room.'

Hotch put his napkin on the table, and got up. Dave pointed him in the right direction, and Hotch limped across the floor. Dave didn't notice the woman get up and follow him.

-0-0-0-

Hotch looked down at his hands in the water. His right hand showed red scarring where it had been crushed, and he washed it carefully. It still gave him pain, and he was glad it was his right hand and not his left. He filled the basin with hot water and plunged his hands in. The heat gave relief to the pain that he was experiencing, and it felt good. He glanced up into the mirror, and was surprised to see a woman standing behind him. He turned and faced her.

She was rather pretty in a fragile kind of way. Her blonde hair was cut short and spiky on top and long at the sides. Her eyes were deep blue – Hotch wondered for a moment whether she wore contact lenses.

'You....erm.... you have the wrong room.' he smiled.

'I don't think that I have.' she said, and took a step towards him. He stepped back against the basin. She took his face in her hands and leaned forwards and kissed him gently on the lips. When she drew back he looked at her, puzzled.

'I'm sure that you can do better than that.' she said softly, and kissed him again. This time he kissed her back. He wondered if she was a prostitute, and pulled away.

'I know what you are thinking.' she said, 'but you are wrong. I want you.'

'I c-can't.' Hotch said, trying to slip away from her, but she was too close. She put her hands in his hair and drew his face to hers. He closed his eyes and kissed her.

He suddenly pulled away as he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck.

'What was?.......' he began.

She stood back and watched him as he staggered slightly and reached out to the wall to steady himself. The wall was further away than he calculated and he fell sideways onto the floor. He rolled onto his back and stared up at her.

'What?.....' he struggled to talk as his mouth felt the affects of the drug she had given him. He tried to turn over to get back up, but the weakness was taking over his body and he couldn't move.

She went to the door and opened it, and turning right, went back into the restaurant, passing two men as she went. They didn't acknowledge each other although they were well known to her. The men opened the door to the men's room and went to the fallen agent. One of them silently and easily picked him up and lifted him over his shoulder over his shoulder while the other one stuck a photograph to the mirror. The three men left the men's room and turned left towards the fire escape.


	2. Crime Scene

Vindication  
Chapter 2  
Crime Scene

"_**Surgery**__** is always second best. If you can do something else, it's better.**__**" – Dr John Kirklin**_

David sat and sipped his coffee. \he had ordered one for Hotch too, but if he didn't hurry up it would be cold. He waited another couple of minutes and got up to go and see if he was all right. He would likely get a rebuke for fussing, but he had been a long time now and he might need help.

Dave pushed open the men's room door and the first thing he saw was the photograph on the mirror. And he knew.

He rushed out of the room, on his phone to the BAU.

He ran out of the fire escape door and looked out. There was no sign of anyone in the alley, and he quickly made his way back in again.

He stood at the door and took in the scene. There was not much to see apart from the photograph on the mirror. He looked closely at it. It was a surveillance photo of Hotch arriving at work, unlike the others that looked posed. There was a red cross through his face in felt tip, the same signature.

Dave noticed a small dark patch on the floor next to the wash basins. It looked like blood, but he couldn't be sure. It seemed as if Hotch had fallen and hit his head on the tiled floor.

Two men came into the room, and Dave ushered them out again, showing his ID.

'I'm afraid that this is a crime scene.' he said. 'Please use the ladies toilets...... thank you.'

Dave stood at the door and waited.

-0-0-0-

Hotch never lost consciousness, just the ability to move anything except his eyes. He felt strong hands lift him, and he saw someone stick a photograph on the mirror. He recognised the signature at once, and so had a rough idea what was going on.

His mind called out for Dave but he had no control over his body, and couldn't call for help. He felt a rush of cold as he was carried outside and he heard the sound of a car door opening.

He was dropped roughly into the foot well at the back, and he landed on his back, looking up into the car. Someone got in the back with him. He felt the pressure of a foot on his neck.

'A sound from you and I'll crush your throat.' the man hissed. Hotch blinked. It was all he could do.

The car started and Hotch could feel that the car was going fast. After a few hundred yards, the car slowed to the speed limit, and Hotch's hope that the car would be stopped by the cops was dashed.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on the route. If he ever got away, he wanted to be able to find them again. But the drug had disoriented him, and he thought he had hit his head when he fell. He thought that his head was bleeding, but he couldn't be sure without moving, and that was out of the question.

The car slowed, and the foot against his throat pressed down as if to warn him. But he couldn't move to call for help. It was a terrifying feeling being one hundred percent aware, and yet completely helpless. His mind went to the three women who had been abducted. He wished that he had taken a proper look at the pictures – it was possible that he knew them. He knew that Dave would be on the case.

The car sped up again. According to his calculations, they would be leaving the city limits about now. He closed his eyes and concentrated, but he was lost.

He lay helpless in the foot well until the car stopped at last. It was dark now, and as Hotch was dragged out of the car he recognised nothing.

The two men carried him by the shoulders and knees towards a building that was just in his field of vision. Then he was laid down on what felt like a steel autopsy table. He froze. What in god's name were they going to do to him?

A man leaned over and grinned in his face. He smelled of cigarettes and stale beer. Hotch tried to turn away but the drug that he had been given was strong, and he still couldn't move.

'You put me away in prison for ten years. Now you are going to experience what that was like.' He tirned to the two men who had brought him in. 'Sit him up so that I can see the scum.'

Hotch felt hands on his forearms as he was pulled upright into a sitting position, and could see the equipment that was surrounding him in the small tiled room. His head was directed at the man with the bad breath.

'You have been injected with a drug that paralyses the striated muscle in your body. This renders you as helpless as I was when they put me in solitary. Now however, I have this for you.' He held up a syringe of clear liquid for Hotch to see. 'This paralyses all your muscles except your heart. You will not be able to breathe or move or anything. You will rely on me for everything.'

Hotch's eyes grew large with terror as the man stuck the needle into Hotch's neck. Almost at once, his lungs stopped working.

-0-0-0-

The men's room had been processed, and Dave was back at the BAU with the other agents. He leaned forward over the desk with his hand over his face.

'It's not your fault, Rossi.' Reid said.

'Well it sure feels like it.' Dave answered. 'But we have to approach this in the same as we do every other case. We have a new victim in the mix. That should help us with victimology.'

'It's not a sexual thing then.' Emily said. 'And it's not for money as no ransom demands were made. so it could be revenge.'

'You and Morgan run with that idea, Reid work on victimology. I'll visit the families again. See what i can come up with with revenge as the motive.'

The phone rang on the table. Rossi picked it up, and listened. It was the crime lab. Yes the blood on the men's room floor was Hotch's. There was some hair as well that was his, and the pool pattern was consistent with him having fallen.

The photograph was a recent one, and the others of the women were not from the same larger picture. Dave didn't suspect that anymore though.

Dave felt a pang of guilt as he recalled that Hotch thought that he was being followed. He had been right, and they'd both put it down to paranoia.

As he left the room, Reid came up behind him.

'I just wanted to say I don't think it was your fault, Rossi. I saw you back there. I know that you blame yourself. But you mustn't.'

Dave smiled at his younger colleague. 'I know, but it is difficult not to harbour self blame. He disappeared on my watch. I mean to get him back.'

Dave left the room and headed towards his car. Reid watched him go, trying to ignore the gnawing at his stomach.

-0-0-0-

Aaron's eyes showed fear as he fought for breath. The man showed him a knife, and with it, he cut a hole in the front of Aaron's throat. The blood ran down to the neck of his tee shirt, and the man attached a ventilator hose to the hole, and taped it in place. Then he switched on the ventilator.

The rhythmic hiss of the machine filled the room.

'Now you will need me for the very air that you breathe. How do you like your prison.'

Hotch stared at him. His lungs took the oxygen and Hotch had no control over it.

'Your intestines won't work, Agent Hotchner. I will catheterise you and cut a colostomy. This is necessary to keep you alive. I regret that we do not have any anaesthetic. But at least you cannot scream.'

Using the same little knife he cut through Aaron's abdominal muscles. A tear fell from Aaron's eyes and splashed onto the autopsy table upon which he was lying, mixing with the blood on the stainless steel. Aaron felt the blood flow and the excruciating pain

'I used my time in prison to read everything I could about this procedure. Eventually your organs will atrophy, and this will be permanent. Or you will die, I don't know which.'

He put his hands into Aaron's abdominal cavity. Aaron fainted with shock.

-0-0-0-

Later on that morning, Rossi went over what he had learned on his second interview with the victims' families. None could remember any reason why their loved one should be picked out for revenge.

'Have Garcia go back say twenty years. It could be from the time that Hotch was a prosecutor.

'That would make sense. Maybe the victims were jurors or witnesses.' Morgan said, opening up his phone.

'I'll check if any of Hotch's cases have been released recently too, and we can compare lists.'

The team members went about their duties in a haze of fear. Hotch was in a fragile state, and they all had their own fear that if he was pushed too hard he could die of shock. Reid wanted to scream and shout and blame Rossi, but he knew that it wasn't his fault. The little speech earlier had been more for his own persuasion than Dave's

'None of Hotch's old cases flag all the names.' Garcia reported. 'The best I can do is one name.'

'Keep digging, Garcia. There has to be a connection from all four names.'

-0-0-0-

They strapped Aaron's limp body into a wheel chair. He was completely at the mercy of these butchers. He was still unconscious, and for a moment during the procedure, they thought that he was going to die. But he was tougher than most, and he pulled through. The main fear now was that the wound in his neck or abdomen would become infected. But they weren't really concerned about that. He was going to die soon anyway, and it made no difference whether he died of an infection or at their hands.

In the meantime he would understand the meaning of prison.

'Wake him up. I want to talk to him.'

Aaron was woken up to the agony of an abdominal surgery without the benefit of pain killing drugs. His eyes rolled in their sockets as he came to. There was nothing Aaron could do. He looked at his tormentor through a haze of pain and terror.

'You breathe because I allow it. You will be fed via IV when I am ready to feed you. You have no choice as I had none. You will live or die as I allow. How does it feel, Agent Hotchner?'

He leaned forwards, as if listening for a reply. He laughed at the fear in his prisoner's eyes ans turned away from him.

'Let's go now – I fancy a drink to celebrate years of planning coming together.' He turned to Aaron. 'Sleep well, boy. Get your rest. Tomorrow we are going out.'

The lights went out and Aaron was left in darkness still strapped upright in the chair. He was in dreadful pain, and tears were streaming down his cheeks and mixing with the blood on his neck, making the hole cut there sting. All he could do was think. He had no movement, except for the beating of his heart, which seemed to reverberate around the room. That and the hissing of the ventilator was all Aaron had to keep him company – the sounds of the machines keeping him alive.


	3. Witnesses

**Vindication  
**Chapter 3  
Witnesses

"_**We do not comment on matters with regard to witness protection." - Makhosini Nkosi**_

Garcia double checked her findings then rang through to Rossi.

'There is a glitch.' she said. 'The two women who didn't match up with the case didn't exist at the time. There is no record of them existing for two years after the case went to trial.'

Rossi stopped what he was doing. 'What was the case?' he said.

'High profile gangland killings. Jack Gittings was murdered in broad daylight outside his club. A civilian died in the same attack.'

'Witness protection.' Rossi said. 'I think they might have been in witness protection. Check it out.'

'On it, Sir.' she answered, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

'If the UnSub found them, then we should be able to.' Reid said, overhearing the conversation. 'I'll get onto the cops who ran the investigation. They might be able to tell us something.'

Dave was going over the witness statements. There had to be something – anything to lead them to Hotch.....

-0-0-0-

'He's asleep, and I can't waken him.' the woman said. 'He looks sick.'

'I want him awake. I tell him when to sleep. And he is sick'

He followed the woman back through to the autopsy room where Hotch was lying on the steel table. A pool of blood had collected and clotted around his hips and the bandage holding his respirator was blood soaked also. The man lost his temper, and hit the helpless man across the face. His eyes opened and looked up at him in fear.

_Please, don't....._

But he could say nothing. A dribble of blood and saliva trickled from his mouth.

'There was no need to hit him!' the woman said.

'Shut up or you'll get one. Now clean it up and we will show it to the world.'

The man left the room, and the woman looked down at Aaron, pity painting her expression.

'You are a good kisser.' she said, rolling him onto his side so that she could wipe away at the blood pool. 'I'm sorry this has had to happen to you, but you need to know what you do to people.' She had a large syringe in her hand which she emptied into Aaron's neck. He felt a sensation not unlike being stabbed all over with needles, emanating from the injection site and spreading over his body.

Aaron felt hot tears again. He was in desperate pain and when she rolled him over it felt like knives stabbing his abdomen. The stitches were cursory and the wound was bleeding heavily. The woman dressed the wound and taped down the bandage. With difficulty she dragged him from the table and sat him in the chair. A strap across his chest and thighs held him upright, and a clamp held his head in position, she noticed the tears.

'You're crying.' she said, surprised. 'Scared are you? You should be, you're type are scum and filth'

Aaron blinked at her. It was all he could do, and he was filled with horror at what was happening to him.

'That is your fault, I'm afraid. When Amos is done with you, you will be freed, but you might be permanently damaged by then. I hope not though. You sure can kiss.'

She bent down and kissed his mouth. 'Not so good now though.'

She folded Aaron's hands onto his lap and placed his feet on the footrest. She wiped his mouth again, and covered him with a sheet up to his chest to cover the blood on his clothes. He was still wearing the white tee shirt although it was mostly red now, and they had replaced his jeans after catheterising him. She combed his hair back and cleaned around his neck. He still looked a mess.

She wheeled him out of the room to where the others were waiting for her.

'You are going outside now.' one of the men said. 'you will not be able to tell anyone what is happening to you. I am going to enjoy this.'

They took him out to an SUV that was parked outside, and pulled the chair into the back. Aaron wanted to scream as the chair bumped up the back of the car. he felt blood spurt again from his wound, and the pain was bad. His eyes rolled in their sockets and he allowed himself to cry – the only thing that he was able to do for himself.

The chair was clamped into place and the three men and the woman sat up front away from him.

He watched the world go by him, other people walking and driving and willing themselves. He tried to attract attention, at one point he actually thought he was able to move, but his hands were still on his lap. They drove down streets that he knew and used to walk along. He thought of his team, so close yet so far. they drove him out of the city into the countryside beyond. He watched it fly past him, and thought he would die of fear of what they were going to do to him next.

He realised that he was slipping down in the chair. He backs of his heels were hurting, and his shoulder blades and buttocks as he slid down the chair. He was getting friction burns on his body already, but then he hadn't been able to move for twenty four hours, and that was long enough without help. he automatically tried to draw himself up, but there was no strength in his muscles. He struggled vainly, when the car stopped.

The back doors were opened, and the chair was manhandled down the step. The woman noticed that he was slipping.

'Help me straighten him.' she said. One man took each side of him and pulled him upright again, and tightened the chest strap until it bruised his pale skin under the shirt. He blinked in his pain and the woman saw.

'Don't do that !' she said, 'Or we will have to sedate you.'

They wheeled him onto a patch of grass where he could watch them playing. The game was show this cripple what he was missing.

'I missed all this for twenty years.' one said, 'And now you know how it felt.'

They had a picnic on the grass, and laughed and had fun in Aaron's full view. He cried bitterly at what he was seeing, and the pain he was feeling. He knew he was wet, but he couldn't tell if it was blood or urine. His buttocks stung like he was sitting in acid. He cried because it was all he could do.

Suddenly there was a child watching him.

He blinked at her. He blinked hard.

_Get your Mummy! Bring someone.....I need help..... helpme!_

The child watched for a few more moments.

'Why are you crying, Man?'

Aaron blinked. If she would just get her mother, he could get help.......

'Leave the poor man alone, Jean. He doesn't want you talking to him. It might be catching..... get away from him.'

The child was jerked out of his vision. He never saw the mother.

Aaron closed his eyes. If sleep would come, the days would pass more quickly.

But he wasn't tired. There was nothing he could do to free himself from the misery and distress.

His face was stiff with dry tears when it was time to go home.

-0-0-0-

'You are right, Sir. The other two women were on witness protection, and were both witnesses for the case.'

'Get me a transcript of the trial, Garcia, and find out if ant threats were made against them at the end.'

Dave was desperately trying to throw off the guilt he felt. He had persuaded Aaron to go out that night. He should have been watching his back, especially after he said he thought that he was being followed. He had seen Reid glance over at him a few times when he thought he wasn't looking. Dave knew that Reid was deeply in love with Aaron, and he knew that Reid blamed him for what was happening. He had never actually said it, but his eyes said it all. Dave went over to his desk.

'A word, please, Reid. In my office.'

Reid followed Rossi out of the bullpen into the office. Dave shut the door.

'Do you have something to say to me?' Dave asked.

'N-no Sir.' ha answered.

'Ok, then. Off the record. Say what you want and let's get this out into the open.'

'Off the record? Why weren't you there for him? Watching his back?'

'Spencer, we weren't working, we weren't even armed. He was only gone for a moment. I regret those moments very much.'

'It's a bit late for regret, now though isn't it?' Reid's eyes were filling up. He wanted to blink the tears away but if he closed his eyes, the tears would fall.

'I am sorry, Reid, and I am doing everything I can think of to get him back.' Dave said. 'I know how you feel about him. If those feelings are going to affect your work, you need to think about transferring out.'

'But I can't transfer out! Where would I go? I need to be close to Aaron.... I mean Hotch.'

Dave could see that Reid was about to lose control.

'Go for a walk, Spencer. Take an hour. Don't let your feelings get in the way of your work, or I will have to recommend that you find another position in the FBI. I will be talking it over with Hotch on his return.'

Reid fled out of the office and headed for the elevator. How could he say those things when it was all his fault anyway? He took the lift down to the car park and sat in his car and thought it through.

Dave was right. If he let his love for Aaron come before his work he had no right to the job.

He leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes. Now the tears fell. Give up loving Aaron? Not possible. Leave the BAU? He couldn't do that either.

Control his feelings? That was the only option.

He sighed, wiped his face, and drove out of the car park.

-0-0-0-

_I will be talking it over with Hotch on his return.'_

Dave thought over the words he had used on Reid. Had he been a little harsh? He was once again leading the team by default – not a thing he wanted. He decided to take the elevator down to speak to Reid again.

he wondered, not for the first time whether Aaron would be returning.

He saw straight away that Reid had taken his car out.

Damn.

he was too late.

He went back to the lift. He'd see him when he gets back.

-0-0-0-

'You were trying to signal that woman.' he said, and punched Aaron's face again. Aaron felt teeth loosen as again and again, the man hit him. His face was a mess of blood and bruises, and he just wanted it to stop. he just wanted to die. He couldn't take this much longer; he wanted to cry out to let him die, finish the job.

But the drug wouldn't let him. So he endured the beating and the pain and tried to did associate himself with what was happening to him.

He was filthy, and he was hungry. He guessed that this was to be everything to him now. He was a pitiable mess, but the men had no pity for him. They wanted him hurting. And he was.

When the man had finished hitting him, when he was bored with beating him, he called the woman in to clean him up.

'You clean him. You made him dirty.' she spat angrily. 'I'm not a nursemaid.'

'Either you clean him, or he stays in this mess and dies.' he said. But the woman turned and left.

'So tonight you stay like this.' he said. He put on a plastic apron to protect his clothes, and released the straps holding Aaron in the chair. Aaron slid down helplessly onto the floor. The man dragged him to the autopsy table and lifted him onto it. There was blood and mess all over him, but he was going to have to stay like it. No one was going to clean him. Tears cut through the dirt and blood on his face and blood and spit ran from his open mouth. He stared up at the ceiling, and the pressure spots along his back and legs throbbed with pain and infection.

He didn't have long.

He hoped that he would die in his agony tonight.


	4. Help

**Vindication**  
Chapter 4  
Help

"_**In as far as the evidence at our disposal is concerned, we already have enough to make out a case." – Makhosini Nkosi**_

Dave sat in his office trying to read through the transcript, but the words didn't reach his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about what he had said to Reid. Was he being over harsh? How would Aaron have handled it?

Aaron had once told him never to second guess himself; make a decision and stick to it. He sighed and put down the papers. He called through to Morgan.

'I'm going home with this transcript. I can't concentrate here.......... Call me on my cell if anything new comes up......... ok.'

He cut the connection and put his cell in his pocket and the transcript in a wallet, and headed to the elevator

If this was the UnSub, Amos Challenger, then they were facing an evil foe. Intelligent and tenacious as a pit bull, Aaron was in the hands of pure evil, evil that should never have got out of prison. He was also rich. The drug money was never recovered. In his world, money could buy anything.

Rossi went to his car and opened the door. He threw the transcript on the seat next to him and drove out of the underground car park.

It was only a short drive home, and Rossi parked out front of his building and leaned across for the transcript. As he did so, he felt cold steel on the back of his neck. He froze.

'Start the car up again and drive.'

'Where? Where do you want me to drive to?'

'Just do it.' The blade pressed harder into the soft flesh of the nape of his neck. Very slowly he sat up straight and switched the engine on again.

'Drive where I say or I will cut your throat out.' the man in the back of his car said. Dave drove where he said. As he drove he felt the man's hand take his gun and ID from his pocket.

'Does this have anything to do with Agent Hotchner?' Dave asked. The blade pressed deeper, and Dave felt blood flow. He got no answer to his question, and they drove out of the city and into an abandoned industrial park. He was ordered to pull up outside an old animal clinic.

'Now get out.' he was told.

Slowly, Dave opened his door and stepped out of the car. The man picked up the wallet from the passenger's seat and got out behind Dave. Now he had Dave's own gun trained on him. It shoved him in the back.

'Don't turn around, just walk.'

Dave was pushed towards the main entrance of the old building. Old torn posters announcing that they love your pets were stuck on the walls, and leaflets were strewn across the floor. Dave realised that it was now or never. He pretended to slip on some papers, and he turned and grabbed for his gun. The movement earned him a crack across the jaw and Dave went down. He crossed his arms in front of his face, pretty sure that he was going to be killed there and then. Instead, the man told him to get up and keep moving.

It was obvious now to Dave that they needed him for something. He got up, rubbing his face and feeling blood.

'Keep moving, and if you try anything again, you're dead meat.' the man said.

Dave walked on, wondering how this was connected with Aaron's abduction. Dave had no connection with the case, and all he could think was that it was because it had been him at the restaurant with Aaron when he was taken.

They passed through a door into what had once been an office of the vet. Two men and a woman stood facing him.

'Check he's not armed.' the older of the men said. The woman stepped forwards and frisked Dave. There was nothing. His gun was already the possession of the UnSub who brought him there.

'Now we have a job for you to do.

Dave was marched out of the office and down a corridor. There was a door at the end, and it was through this door that he was pushed.

'Clean him up. We don't want him dead yet.' the man said, and the door was closed behind him. Dave turned to the door as he heard the lock slide into place. He turned back to the room and what he saw made him want to be sick.

The room was almost silent, except for the hiss of the respirator. He hardly recognised the man lying on the autopsy table as his friend. He went to his side.

_Oh my good god, Aaron!_

-0-0-0-

Aaron's one method of communication had been denied him. His face was so beaten that his eyes were swollen shut. Dave didn't realise that Aaron was drugged, but he took Aaron's face in his hands and turned his face towards him. Aaron recognised the touch. When Dave spoke, a surge of hope rushed through him; maybe he was going to survive this after all.

'I'm going to help you, Aaron. Can you speak?

Aaron tried so hard to make some kind of sound, but he achieved nothing.

Dave collected some water from a sink and brought it to him. Gently he washed his face and cleaned up the bandage around his neck. Then he pulled back his bloody tee shirt, and gasped – horror struck.

The wound was weeping blood and pus and the wound site was red and inflamed. He carefully sat Aaron up so that he was leaning against him, and pulled off the filthy shirt. It hung wetly from the respirator pipes and dripped blood onto the floor. Dave realised that he wouldn't be able to save him. He was in dire need of a doctor, and Dave knew nothing about medicine.

Aaron's jeans were soaked. He undid the zip and buckle, and drew them off his legs. He saw the catheter and that it had become disconnected, which was why Aaron was wet.

_Oh my god oh my god oh my god.........._

'I can't put this back, I have no idea how.' he said to Aaron. He called out to the walls, 'I need help with this! Help me do this!'

Dave held onto Aaron, holding him against his chest. 'I can't do this, Aaron. I will get you out of here. I will get you home.'

The sound of the key in the lock, and the woman came in.

'You do it like this.' she said. Holding Aaron with one hand and the tube in the other, she shoved the catheter home, the tube immediately filled with blood. Dave thought he was going to faint.

There was no movement from Aaron except a quickening of his heart beat, and closing his eyes tightly shut against this new humiliation and pain. Dave saw the eye movement.

As soon as the woman was gone and the door was locked, Dave asked Aaron if he could move his eyes.

Aaron moved them in response.

'Have they drugged you Aaron?'

Aaron moved his eyes.

'Did they do this to you here?'

Again Aaron acknowledged yes.

_Oh my god...._

Dave could not imagine what Aaron was going through as he washed his helpless colleague. He noted the infected pressure burns on his back, and realised that these alone could kill. As he gently cleaned him, he tried to think of how he was going to get him out of there. Hotch was dying, and he was the only one who could save his life. He needed time to come up with a plan, time that Aaron didn't have. He realised that he was crying as he dried him with paper towels. The wound was oozing and Dave was afraid to touch it. When he did, Aaron cried with agony.

Dave thought that he could probably escape, but the thought of doing so and leaving a man behind – this man in particular – left him cold. If he was going to escape, it would be with Aaron, or not at all.

He had every confidence that the team would find them. They knew who the UnSub was; they just needed to track him down.

There was nothing to wrap Aaron in, and he was cold. Dave took off his jacket and carefully slipped it onto him. There were no clean dressings for his wound. And there was no where that he could lay him down other than the floor.

Dave took paper towels and tried to make him more comfortable on the autopsy table, under his heels and shoulder blades and buttocks, but it was only temporary at best. Almost straight away, the towels were wet. Dave gave a shuddering sigh and stepped back. He had done what he could. Now he needed to think.

-0-0-0-

Aaron wasn't alone, and he rejoiced that he had been found – at first anyway. He thought in his distress that he had been rescued, and Dave was going to take care of him. But he had been wrong. They had Dave too, although he wasn't drugged and tortured like he was. He was there simply to clean up the mess.

He wasn't even sure that it was real, that Dave was really there. He knew that there was infection from the colostomy. His lower bowel was open to his peritoneum, and that was fatal without antibiotics and care, neither of which he was getting. He needed food, and although they had told him he would be fed, he couldn't recall this.

But sometimes he couldn't remember his own name, so in his lucid moments, moments that were becoming more infrequent as the infection ravaged him, he tried to make himself remember.

They had taken his body. He couldn't let them take his mind too.

-0-0-0-

The three men came back into the room. The woman wasn't with them.

'Come with us now your work here is done.'

'I would prefer to stay with Agent Hotchner if you don't mind.'

'Oh but we do mind, Agent Rossi.' Challenger said. Then to the other two, 'Take him outside and kill him.'

'You need me alive to clean up your mess.' Dave tried not to sound desperate, but he thought some of his desperation came across in his voice.

One of the men stepped forwards. 'Move.'

Dave didn't move and his reward for non co operation was a punch to the face. Dave stood his ground and attempted to hit back, but he was being held, and Challenger punched him in the stomach. Dave doubled up and groaned in pain. A kick in the groin, and Dave passed out.

'Get him on his feet and out of here. I want him dead. He's done what he was brought here for. I don't want to keep him here. If we need anyone else, we will take him.'

The two men dragged Dave out of the room. Aaron was listening to this and felt terrible fear for his friend.

_Please don't kill him...... please....._

Dave was dragged out of the building and out amongst the trees that surrounded the place. He was woken up by a smack around the face. He found himself lying on his back looking up at his murderers.

'You need me to keep Hotchner alive.' he said desperately. He needed to live to save Aaron. He wasn't worried about preserving his own life, but he knew that Aaron was too much loved for him to die in such a dreadful way.

'Kneel.'

Dave struggled to turn onto his front but he wasn't moving fast enough for the two men who began to beat him. Powerlessly Dave curled up trying to protect himself from the assault. Thoughts of what Aaron had endured kept him conscious and determined. Rough hands in his hair pulled him into a kneeling position, and he closed his eyes as he felt the muzzle of his own gun against the side of his head.

He was about to be executed. A tear of absolute rage fell from his eyes as the woodland rang with the sound of a gunshot, the air filled with cordite and Dave fell forwards onto the floor.


	5. Spencer

**Vindication  
**Chapter 5  
Spencer

"_**Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it"**__** Albert Einstein**_

Spencer drove home when Rossi told him to take an hour out. He parked outside his building thinking about the situation. It hurt him physically when Aaron was in danger, and he couldn't help the feelings. Now, knowing the 'Photograph Killer' had him, he could hardly function.

Useless to the team unless he could get his feelings under control, he decided that he needed to ask for help.

The only person he could go to was Rossi. He knew about his feelings, whereas the others didn't. At least he thought they didn't. Usually he went to Derek with his deeper problems, but not this one.

Reid's whole life course was dependant on any decision he was to make here. He was pretty sure that he wasn't gay. He liked women, but Hotch was special, and he loved him more than he ever thought possible.

He started up his car without getting out, and turned towards back the way he had come. He would go and speak to him now, candidly, holding nothing back.

As he approached the entrance to the underground car park, Dave's car pulled out and turned towards home. Reid was glad. He preferred to discuss this in the privacy of Rossi's living room to the offices of the BAU. There were about three cars between him and Dave, and Reid was surprised when, after pulling up outside his building, he didn't get out, but started the car up again, and drove out of the parking area. He thought he saw someone else in the car, but he couldn't be sure this far back.

He followed at a discrete distance, watching for any sudden moves. He was sure now that there was someone else in the back of Dave's car, and Reid was worried.

The car left the city limits, and there was very little traffic here. Following would be far more difficult, and he didn't want to alarm the UnSub in Rossi's car, as he was certain now that Rossi was in imminent danger. He waited at the city limits for the car to get out of sight, and then slowly followed in the same direction, hoping that the car hadn't taken one of the turn offs in the meantime. He saw the car a long way ahead, and he allowed himself to breathe again. He dare not lose them now.

He tried to call Derek on his cell, but the signal here was sporadic, and he couldn't get through. This was down to him – find out where they were going, and make a decision from there.

He saw the car turn off in the distance. He knew that there was an abandoned industrial estate in that direction, and thought that it was probably there that they were going. Reid kept well back, and when he neared the turn off, he stopped.

He wished it was night and he could follow him with his lights off, but it wasn't, so he waited anxiously by the side of the road to give the car a chance to get almost out of range. Then he turned into the side road, and prayed that he hadn't left it too long.

He hadn't. In the distance was Rossi's car, and yes! It turned into the industrial estate.

There were only so many places that they could go now. Reid knew that there were no other entrances to the estate, so he waited again.

He realised that his breathing was irregular and jumpy as the adrenalin pumped through his body. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he gave the car a few minutes to come to a halt. Then cautiously, he got out of his car and followed on foot.

It took a little while to find the car, parked outside an old clinic building. There was no one in it now. Reid crouched down in the rough growth that was once a garden, and waited.

He tried Derek again, but as before there was no signal. He had a choice now. He could drive back and let the others know what was going down, drive to a call box, or wait it out here.

He daren't leave in case he missed them leaving. He unholstered his gun and waited.

There was no sound coming from the low building, and after a while, Reid wondered if he had made a mistake by waiting here. What if there was another way out? he brought up the map in front of his eyes and checked – yes he was right. No other way out. David had to be inside.

He crept forwards to the wall of the building and tried to see through the windows, but it was dark inside. He crouched down in the shadows of the gathering dusk and prayed that he was doing the right thing. His mind went back to the last time he had needed to get in touch with the team and there had been no signal. It was a time that he tried to put out of his mind, that and the subsequent torture and pain. But this was different. Another agent, or even agents were in danger, and his life was worth nothing if he couldn't sacrifice it for them.

He crept back to the trees and wondered what Aaron would do in this situation, and thinking of him again made his stomach lurch.

_Oh Aaron! I want to do what is right here. help me......_

He heard a door open and in the dusk, saw three man exit the building. One man was being dragged along, and Reid saw to his horror that it was Rossi. He was dropped to the ground, and words that Reid couldn't hear were exchanged.

They began to beat him as he was lying on the ground, and Reid got his gun ready. Then Rossi was pulled up into a kneeling position as if he was about to be executed. Reid watched as a gun was raised to his head.

He fired, but he didn't know if he was in time. David fell forwards onto the floor but the UnSub with the gun fell backwards with a hole in his chest.

The second man grabbed his fallen companion's gun and crouched low.

-0-0-0-

Dave didn't move. He wasn't quite sure how he was still alive. He had been hit, his head was hurting, and there was blood running forward onto his face. But he was alive. There was someone else here, but he couldn't think straight, or understand what was going on.

More shots were fired over him, and he heard the second man fall, and the gun clatter from his grip. Still Dave didn't move, until he felt a hand on his back

'Rossi, it's me, Spencer. You've been hit.'

Dave tried to get up, but a wave of dizziness made him sink back to the ground.

'Get me into the trees.' he gasped.

Reid took Rossi under the arms and pulled him into the shelter of the trees. He used his shirt to wipe the blood from his eyes.

'Hotch – he's in there. Drugged. We've got to get him out.'

'You stay here, Rossi. I'll go.'

Dave put his hand to his head. The UnSub had fired as he fell, and the bullet had grazed Dave's scalp. But although there was a lot of blood, the wound wasn't serious.

'I'll go with you. I know the layout and where Hotch is being held. We go in together.'

'How many UnSubs are there?' Reid asked.

'According to what I've seen, there is another man, Challenger I think, and a woman. We should be able to take them out.

Dave tore the sleeve from his shirt and tied it around his head, preventing the flowing blood from getting in his eyes, and the two agents crept to the door. They stepped into the gloom of what was the waiting area when the building had housed a vet. Dave signalled that he thought the UnSub was through the door at the back.

At that moment, the door opened and Challenger stepped out.

'Hey!' he shouted as he stepped through, 'how long does it take to waste one dego?'

Dave stood up from behind the crates where they were hiding.

'I'm afraid they missed.' he said, and raised his gun. Challenger went for his gun, but he wasn't quick enough, and Challenger was lying dead on the floor.

Rossi and Reid ran forwards and relieved the corpse of its weapon, and they went through the door whence Challenger was coming. They saw the woman disappear through the door at the back.

'Aaron is through there.' Dave said. 'Quickly we must hurry.'

They raced down the corridor to the back door, and Dave tried to open it. The woman had locked it, and Dave used his gun to shoot the lock off.

Inside the room, the woman was standing, holding onto Aaron's respirator.

'I'll kill him!' she said.

'Step away from him.' Dave said, but the woman in reply, pulled the respirator tube out of Aaron's throat.

Dave opened fire and shot her in the leg, and she fell to the ground next to Aaron. Reid rushed forward to replace the tube, but his hands were shaking with shock at what he was seeing.

'Let me.' Dave said, and took the tube from Reid.

'For the love of god, what have they done?' Reid said, his voice shaking with emotion.

'We have to get him out of here.' Dave said. 'Aaron, you are safe now. We are going to take you home.

-0-0-0-

Hotch had heard the plans to execute Dave, and his distress knew no bounds. All he could do was listen when the sound of gunshots tore the silent night apart. He only expected to hear one shot, and when he heard several, his faint hope was raised. It would only take one shot to kill Dave. What were the others?

The woman had come into the room and injected him with another dose of the drug. Again he felt it rip through his body and he feared what was going to happen to him next.

He was soon to find out. The woman told him that she was going to kill him, and took hold of his ventilator hose. His eyes widened with fright. This was going to be the end? A helpless cripple, suffocated to death, and unable even to cry out?

He heard the door open, and he heard Dave's voice....

Dave! And Spencer!

But then the woman yanked the tube from his throat, and blood ran down his throat towards his lungs. He wanted to cough, but all he could do was cry.

He could see Reid struggling to replace the tube, and he saw Dave take it off him and replace it in his trachea.

'For the love of god, what have they done?' and Aaron felt Reid's gentle and loving hands touch him.

'We are going to take you home.' said Dave.


	6. ER

A/N Sorry this update has been a long time coming. I've had car and computer trouble, and to top it all my TV konked out. Thank you to all my reviewers. Luv Aggie xx

**Vindication  
**Chapter 6  
ER

"_**Have the courage to live. Anyone can die." – Robert Cody**_

Dave looked at Spencer touching Aaron. He was going to send him out to find a phone, but instead he did it himself. Spencer's love was evident in every touch of his fingers, every word from his lips.

'I'm going to get this woman cuffed and find a phone.' Dave said.

He lifted the woman onto a chair and cuffed her there, and then ran out of the room to find a telephone. he wanted the medics here, he didn't want to take Hotch in the SUV. He didn't know how much damage had been done and Aaron couldn't tell him. And the woman wasn't speaking.

Wiping blood out of his eyes, he ran from room to room, looking for the office that the UnSubs had been using, but he couldn't find one. He went back to the woman.

'Where is the phone? Cells don't work here.'

'We don't have one.' she hissed. 'Why should I help you? What's one more dead Fed? I don't care.'

Rossi clenched his fists but didn't say anything.

'Reid, we are going to have to take them in the car. there are no phones here.'

Reid looked up, worry in his eyes.

'I don't know if he will make it if we try to move him.' he said. 'His heart is beating way too fast, but his pulse is weak and thready. God knows what they have done to him, but I think he's in shock. Moving him could be too much for him to take.'

'I'll go back and find a signal, and then I'll be back with you.'

Dave went over to Aaron and gently touched his face. 'I'm going to get help. I'll be as quick as I can.'

Aaron blinked at his friend. If he died now, at least he was going to die in peace, with the people who mattered to him by his side. He watched Dave leave out of the periphery of his now fading vision, and felt Reid take his hands.

The searing pain in his abdomen had changed to a throbbing agony throughout his body. He was severely dehydrated, and couldn't fight the infection in his peritoneum. He knew and understood that he had a fight to live on his hands. He thought about the drugs in his system, and wanted at least the chance to tell Reid how he felt..... that he loved him, and needed him, and would feel that way until his death.

'Aaron, stay strong for me. Stay with me.' Reid said. 'I won't leave you.'

'He's going to die, and good riddance.' the woman said.

Reid's automatic response would have been to hurt her like she had hurt Aaron, but he would have to leave touching Aaron to do that.

'Don't listen to her.' he said. 'You know how I feel about you, Aaron. I need you to get through this.'

Aaron's tears fell as he thought of what his friends would sacrifice for him, their very lives, and he was overwhelmed with love for them. He felt light headed and thought he was going to faint. He tried to blink back the tears that were flowing into his hair, but his eyes rolled in their sockets, and he fainted with shock and pain.

-0-0-0-

Dave had to drive several miles to be in cell service. He called the Emergency Team, and explained briefly what they were going to come up against. Then he called Morgan.

'I thought that you were at home going through the transcript!' Morgan said. 'What the hell is going on?'

'That was the plan.' Dave said, 'But Challenger had other ideas. He's dead, by the way, and we have found Hotch. Reid is with him now.'

'But what......'

'Meet us at the hospital, Derek, and I'll tell you everything there. Hotch is very poorly. I need to get back to him.'

He lastly called the PD to come and pick up the UnSubs, including the woman, and then he drove back to the clinic where Hotch and Reid still were. The ambulance he could see in his rear view mirror, rapidly catching up. Dave prayed that they wouldn't be too late.'

-0-0-0-

Reid was panicking. He couldn't find a pulse, although he knew that Aaron was in shock, he didn't know if the man he loved had died while they were waiting for the ambulance. He could hear the sirens getting closer and prayed that it would be in time to save this very special man.

Dave ran into the room.

'They're on their way, Spencer. How is he?'

'I don't know.' Reid answered, his voice shaking with emotion. 'I can't find a pulse and he's not responding. His eyes are closed.'

Spencer was leaning across Aaron's still body, trying to find a pulse in his neck, but failing. Dave could see that Reid was on the verge of panicking. He stepped forwards to pull him away, and at that moment the medics arrived. One of them went to the woman.

'Leave her.' Dave said. 'The man on the table is your priority. He's drugged, and we can't find a pulse..... I refuse to believe he has died!' Dave felt sick as he thought maybe he had got there too late to save his friend, and the pain he had been through to now.

The medics pulled Reid away, and began to work on Aaron.

'He's alive.' one of them said. 'But he's in shock. He's in grave danger.'

One of them pulled back the sheet that was covering his lower half and gasped in horror at the sight of the wound in his abdomen.

'What the hell?.....'

The wound was weeping and tinged green. Quickly he set up an IV.

'I'm taking a chance here.' he said. 'I shouldn't give him anything without knowing what drug he has been given. But without pain medication and antibiotics, he has a very short time left. Are you his next of kin?' he asked Reid.

'I am.' Dave said. 'Give him what ever you think he needs.'

Reid nodded in agreement.

Instantly, the medic attached a bag to the IV in Aaron's wrist. He was still unconscious, and Dave was glad. The pain he must have been in made him shudder. Reid went and stood next to Dave.

'If he dies...... ' Reid began, but got no further. Dave put his arm around Reid's shoulder.

'Aaron has got through a good many life threatening situations. He'll pull through this time.'

He spoke with a conviction that he didn't feel. Reid stood rigid beneath Dave's arm.

'He has to make it.' Reid whispered. 'He has to.'

-0-0-0-

'Aaron, can you hear me?'

The medic was trying to waken Hotch in the ambulance. He was unresponsive. Reid watched anxiously from his seat in the ambulance. He desperately wanted to be touching him. If he was going to die he wanted to be there.

_Aaron, wake up...._

Dave was following in the car with the woman patched up and sitting next to him. He had cuffed her hands to the head rest so that she couldn't try anything. The medics had given her a sedative and she was quiet now, but Dave wasn't taking any chances. He followed the ambulance into the hospital grounds, and parked the car in a no parking area as close to the entrance as possible. He watched as Aaron was rushed by him into the ER and one of the medics came and collected the woman from him. Dave called the PD to supply a guard to her door, since she was going to be charged with three murders, kidnapping and poisoning.

Then Dave joined with Reid and they followed Aaron into the hospital.

Derek and Emily were already there, waiting for them. Dave sat with them and explained what had happened, and how he came to find Hotch.

'So I didn't exactly find him, but they took me to him.' he said, 'They wanted me to clean him up, and then they were going to shoot me. I'll let Reid tell you from there.'

Reid was pacing the floor, his breaths shaky and erratic as if he had been crying. Dave called him over.

'Tell the guys what happened, how I wasn't shot in the head – well, not too badly anyway!'

It suddenly occurred to him that he must look a mess, his shirt ripped, and a bloody sleeve tied around his head.

Reid began to relate his story.

-0-0-0-

The doctors were struggling to keep Aaron alive, which was difficult as they had no idea what drug he was on. They took blood and sent it to chemistry for an urgent tox screen. Now they were just hanging around hoping he would survive long enough for the results to get back. When the phone on the wall rang they all jumped.

The nurse took the call'

The drug was a new type of Rohypnol, the date rape drug. Only this one was more far reaching, and completely paralysed the victim.

At least now they had something to work on.

They cleaned the colostomy wound and dosed Aaron with strong pain meds and broad spectrum antibiotics. They didn't know for how long the drug would stay in his system, but now at least they could medicate him.

One of the doctors went to tell the anxious team.

'When can we see him?' Reid asked.

'You can go and see him now if you wish. One at a time though. He's still unconscious.'

The four team members followed the Doctor through the corridors to where Aaron was lying attached to a new and sterile ventilator. He was pale and his face was sunken. Reid went to his side.

'Aaron, you are safe now.' he said to the still form on the bed.

The others watched from the window as Reid sat beside him and held his hand.

'He's still critical, Doctor Reid.' the doctor said. 'If he wakes up, call someone.'

Reid nodded without taking his eyes off Aaron.

'The team is here for you, the UnSubs are dead, and you are safe. We all love you, Aaron. Come home now....... please'

-0-0-0-

Aaron felt safe here. He couldn't move still, but he had grown used to that. The difference here was he felt loved. He could hear voices, gentle, kind voices. No one was hurting him, and the pain in his body was softened to a dull ache. He stopped fighting. It was easier now; there was nothing to fight for. He was at peace and he let go.

The hiss of the ventilator didn't stop. Reid's grip on his hands didn't stop. The only thing that stopped was a man's will to live. Gently he drifted away into a warm safe darkness that received him with gentle greedy hands. The rapes and torture and pain gradually floated apart from him and disappeared in a pinprick of light.

Suddenly the room was filled with the crash alarm. It took Reid a second to realise what was happening. Aaron was dying. The ventilator still filled his lungs but the blood didn't carry the oxygen anywhere.

The crash team rushed into the room and only then did Reid truly realise what had happened – that the man that he loved more than life itself had just died in front of him. He watched in petrified awe as they fought to revive Aaron who had died at last from his injuries.

_Aaron! Aaron! No please don't die......._


	7. Dynamics

**Vindication  
**Chapter 7  
Dynamics

"_**Pump anyone full of drugs and then remove them, it is sure to affect their emotions and behaviour." Dr Emil Skoda (Law&Order)**_

Reid stood by the door. He had been asked to leave but he needed to be there for Aaron. He couldn't bring himself to leave. He bit down on shaking knuckles and watched the fight to save Aaron along a long dark tunnel as if he was watching through reversed binoculars. Sounds were muted and heavy in the air as he tried to concentrate on what was happening. He watched as Aaron's frail and abused body jumped as electricity coursed across his chest. He wanted to shout "Leave him alone! Hasn't he suffered enough?"......again and again the paddles were applied to his chest, and it seemed to take forever for Aaron to respond.

Then he heard the words, 'Time of death....' and he rushed forward.

'Please, don't give up. I love him, and I need to tell him how I feel.'

'He's been dead for twenty two minutes. It's time to call.'

Reid took Aaron's cold hand in his.

'Please, Aaron, don't give up. We need you.' He turned to the doctor who was standing with the paddles in his hand.

'Please....'

'One more try then. Charge three fifty.'

Reid heard the soft whirr of the paddles charging, and "clear". Reid let Aaron's hands drop, and with his heart in his mouth watched his body jerk off the table again. The people in the room held their collective breath, waiting for a response, and as Hotch resuscitated, Reid felt tears stream down his face. He stepped forwards.

'Is he going to be all right?'

'We can't tell you. He was dead for a long time with no oxygen getting to his brain.' the doctor said, reattaching the ventilator hoses. 'Only time will tell. But he lives for now. Are you close?'

'Uh.... yes I guess so. Why?'

'Sometimes it is the sound of a loved one that brings someone back as much as the de-fib. I just thought.....'

'Well yes, we are close.' Reid said, smiling through the tears staining his face.

The crash team left the room, and the doctor stayed just long enough to take Aaron's obs before leaving Reid alone with Aaron. He sat on the chair by the bed, suddenly exhausted, and rested his head on his hands clasped onto Aaron's. The rhythmic hiss of the ventilator sent him gently to sleep.

-0-0-0-

Rossi, Morgan and Emily were in the cafeteria drinking coffee and chatting, trying to stay awake. One of them needed to go and relieve Spencer who had been sitting with Hotch for several hours. Dave said he would go next, and the others agreed to go get some rest so that they could relieve Dave in a few hours. Emily protested, saying she wanted to sit with him, but she was pale and tired, and Dave over-ruled her. Besides, Dave understood Emily's relationship with Aaron – possibly better than Aaron and Emily themselves. Now wasn't the time for her to be with him.

Dave vowed that Aaron would not be left alone until he was recovered. And that could be a long time.

Dave walked slowly through the quiet corridors of the hospital. It was early morning and most patients were sleeping now, and the night staff had settled into their nightly routine.

Dave thought about the dynamics of the team, and how those dynamics had become unsettled in the light of recent events.

He was sure that he was going to have to talk to Aaron, and probably Spencer too, about personal relationships in the team. No one had said anything to Dave about the Reid – Hotch issue, but they must have noticed. They were brilliant at what they did, and had to have picked up on the vibes that filled the air when ever Reid and Aaron were in the same room.

He thought that Reid following him to the UnSub's lair was motivated by those feelings, and as such, Dave owed Reid his life.

They offered themselves for each other almost on a daily basis, but Dave was sure that without the deep feelings Reid had for Aaron, Reid wouldn't have been there, and he and Aaron would now be dead.

He shuddered at the thought of the team without Aaron as he rounded the corner to where Aaron's ward was. He looked through the window at Reid asleep with his head on Aaron's hands, and sighed. Those feelings run deep.

'Spencer.... ' he said gently shaking Reid awake. 'Time for you to go and rest. I'll sit with Aaron for a few hours, but you need your sleep.'

Reid blinked large tired eyes at Dave.

'Ok.' he whispered, and backed towards the door, almost as if he didn't want to literally turn his back on Aaron. 'We almost lost him again.' Reid said, and told Dave about the resuscitation that almost failed. Dave was filled with fear as Reid described how close they'd become to losing him forever. Aaron was safe now, he thought. He couldn't bear the thought of losing him now.......

'The others are waiting for you in the cafe.' Dave said. 'Maybe you could book into the hotel next door rather than go home. That way you will be close if there's any change.'

Reid nodded, and left the room. Dave took Aaron's hands in his.

'Come on, Dear Friend. We need you back again.'

Aaron's dark eyes were closed, and he looked even paler than the last time he saw him. Dave started to talk to him, chatting as if it was a normal day, and they were having a drink together after work. Aaron's hands were cool in his, and Dave watched every second for a sign that he was going to regain consciousness.

'.....so Aaron, we need you back on the team – leading the team. I don't want the job, but I'll do it until you are back with us.' he said, holding Aaron's hands against his cheek. He closed his eyes and rocked. He thought that is was getting close to the time when he was going to have to admit his own feelings for the man.

Dave was in the same position as Reid had been in when he first saw him – his head down on the bed, clasping Aaron's hands. Aaron slowly opened his eyes.

-0-0-0-

Aaron could feel hands holding his, and he tried to work out who was with him. He guessed it was either Spencer or Dave. He concentrated on the feel of the fingers.

David.

He remembered that it had been Reid before. He had wanted to drift away into the nothing void where all pain would be just a bad memory. But he was here again, paralysed and hurting, although more comfort than he was used to.

He remembered then. He was safe now, in hospital, and the UnSubs were...... He wasn't sure where they were, but they weren't here.

Aaron was filled with confusion; memories were mixed up, and the order of events were out of sequence

Why had he tried to die? Then he remembered the drugs they had given him. They left him paralysed and the only thing he could properly feel was pain.

The pain was distant now, it was like seeing something through the clouds; he knew the pain was there, but it was indistinct now, covered over.

He concentrated on his eyes. He knew that he should be able to open his eyes. He sent his scant energy to his eyes and concentrated on opening them. They ached and felt weighed down with lead, but using all his strength, he forced them open.

The room where he lay was lit with subdued lighting. Was it night time? He cast his eyes down, but couldn't see past the ventilator hose that he could now hear rhythmically keeping him alive. He tried to breathe independently of the machine but it was too powerful, or he was too weak. He knew Dave was with him, and it was the weight of his head on the bed. He wanted to call his name, and he tried to move his mouth, but the drug was still too strong in his blood. And even had he been able to form the words, he would have been unable to speak them with the hole in his throat.

Dave..... Dear loyal Dave. His mind took him back to the gunshots outside the clinic where he was being kept prisoner; he still did not understand how he managed to thwart his execution, but he thanked God that he did.

He felt a movement as Dave woke up, and raised his head. He looked at Aaron, and saw that his eyes were open.

'Aaron! You're awake' he said excitedly. 'Welcome back.'

Aaron longed to speak. He had so many feelings to put into words, but as yet he wasn't able to. He tried to turn his head, but it was too much so he gave up, and concentrated on his fingers. He just wanted to acknowledge Dave's presence.........

He thought that he had moved a finger but Dave didn't react. He tried again, and this time, Dave responded, squeezing Aaron's hand with joy.

'The drug is wearing off, Aaron. I felt you move your hand! You're coming back!'

Dave stood up and touched Aaron's face, looking down into his dark eyes.

'You are going to be ok, Aaron. The drug is wearing off, you're going to be ok.'

-0-0-0-

Reid lay in the hotel room staring at the ceiling watching the light changing colour as the hotel sign flickered. He wanted to be with Aaron. He couldn't sleep knowing how poorly Aaron was. He swung his legs off the bed and started to pace the room. It was no good, he had to go back to the ward.

He pulled his jeans on and tucked his pyjama jacket into the waist band. He left the room and locked the door after him.

The night was moonless, but the street lights lit up the road outside as bright as day. He walked quickly to the hospital next door, and went through the high revolving doors into the softly lit foyer of the hospital.

He stopped outside the ward and looked through the window. Dave had his hand on Aaron's face and he felt a pang of jealousy.

He turned away from the window and leaned against the wall, suddenly felt out of breath.

_How stupid! How could he be jealous of David?_

He went into the ward, and Dave looked up at him.

'He's awake, Spencer. He's moving.'

Reid was by his side in a flash.

'Aaron! It's Spencer. I'm here.'

He stood close to Dave and reached across to hold Aaron's hand. Dave stood back and let Spencer get close. He watched as Aaron squeezed Spencer's hand, and wanted to turn away.

He didn't want to be jealous. He needed to speak to Aaron about Spencer and his feelings for Aaron. He didn't want to have his words coloured by his own emotion emotion.

Dave left the room, and walked down the corridor. He felt childish. Aaron was his closest friend, and he guarded the relationship jealously. But why get upset with Spencer?

He made his way to the cafe. It was closed but he was able to sit at one of the tables to think.

The stress and emotions of the last few weeks were getting to him now, almost like a delayed shock.

_Come on, David. Get a grip!_

He felt too agitated to sit down for long. He looked at his watch – he had been away from Aaron for ten minutes now, and he needed to get back.

_But it's my turn!_

Dave needed time alone to think but his mind was in such a turmoil he couldn't think straight now. He was going to have to talk to Aaron about Spencer some time. But not yet. Maybe not for a long time. Not before Hotch was ready to take the weight that it was sure to put on him.

He found himself outside Aaron's room. He watched through the window, and felt his eyes fill with tears.


	8. Withdrawal

Vindication  
Chapter 8  
Withdrawal

'_**When will you turn and believe what I offer you? I can't stop loving for all you deny.' Leslie Fish – When will you turn?**_

Emily sat alone in her tiny hotel room, thinking about Aaron. She felt a deep and abject fear whenever he was in danger, and she desperately wanted to be by his side. But she knew that her past attitude to his intensity had driven him away, and she had blown any chance of a relationship with him. Even with her background and education in things to do with love, she knew that it shouldn't feel like this.

Love should make you feel whole, complete. This emotion that she could feel was making her feel like half a person, it was destructive, and painful.

She had a crush on Hotch, like a school girl having a crush on a teacher. He had accepted her as part of his team, even knowing why she had been planted there, and this fuelled her already growing admiration for the man.

She lay back on her bed and pulled the pillow on top of her and hugged it to her breasts.

_Aaron Hotchner...... how are you doing this to me?_

-0-0-0-

Dave finally went back into Hotch's room where Reid was sitting holding his hand.

'You are supposed to be resting, Spencer.' he said, hoping Spencer would take the hint and leave. 'I'll call you if there is any change.'

Reid smiled across to Dave. 'Ok. I guess you are right. Are you going to watch him next?'

Dave nodded. 'Until we have a case, we will take turns in being with him. He will not be left alone.'

Reid inclined his head and stood up. He leaned down and kissed Hotch on the cheek, and turned to leave.

'You will tell me, won't you?' he said to Dave.

'Of course I will.' For a horrible moment, Dave thought Reid's abilities extended to mind reading. He would have to take extra care keeping his own feelings under wraps. He couldn't wear his heart on his sleeve like Reid did.

After Reid had gone, Dave sat in the seat where Reid had been, and like him, took his hand.

'Are you awake, Aaron?' Dave asked softly. There was no movement of his hands which he took to mean that he was sleeping. That, thought Dave was for the best.

-0-0-0-

Aaron wasn't sleeping. He was fighting the terrible pains of withdrawal. His head ached until he thought it would explode, and his skin felt as if it was on fire. He kept his eyes closed because he was afraid of what he would see if he opened them. His brain was telling him that he was on fire. Logically he knew that he wasn't, but the pain was so all encompassing that he couldn't think logically.

He wanted to scream...... cry out to his friends to help him. Tears built up behind his eyelids, and at last he opened them, and the tears ran free.

Dave noticed at once and stood up so that he was in Aaron's eye line.

'Aaron, what is it? are you in pain?'

Aaron blinked his eyes. 'Yes.'

'I'll get help.' Dave said, and pulled his hand out of Aaron's grasp. To his surprise, Aaron wouldn't let go. he wanted Dave to stay with him, not leave him while he was in such agony.

He realised that the more he was released from the paralysis, the more it hurt. His muscle fibres felt like they were being crushed and torn as they moved for the first time in days. He opened his mouth in a silent scream and gripped Dave's hand in his, unwilling to let go.

With his free hand Dave reached out and pressed the call button. He noticed that Aaron's heart was beating faster and he had a dread of losing Hotch to a heart attack now. He wasn't sure if the man would survive another attack. He almost didn't survive the last one.

Dave put his hand on Aaron's forehead in an attempt to comfort him.

Suddenly, Aaron's back arched off the bed and he was gripped by a convulsion. Dave didn't move from his side, but he called out for help.

'Somebody get in here!' he shouted. 'Help me someone!'

The door opened and two nurses came in.

'This is almost expected.' one of them said to Dave as she led him aside. 'It is withdrawal from the drugs that he was given. It may happen several times, but it is good in that we know the affects of the drug that he was given is wearing off.'

'What about his heart?' Dave said. 'We almost lost him earlier today.'

'His heart is our biggest worry.' the other nurse said, as Hotch twisted in the throes of the seizure. 'There is nothing we can do except increase his pain medication.'

She looked at the chart, and showed it to the other nurse. 'The doctor has written him up for some stronger pain meds if he needs them. I will fetch them now.'

Aaron was beginning to relax now, the heart monitor readings were no longer red, and the seizure was releasing its grip. Dave sat next to Aaron again, shaking with shock. The nurses came back in with a tray with a hypodermic syringe on it.

'Pain killers.' she said, and emptied the syringe into the top of Aaron's leg. After a second or two, he seemed to relax as tightened contorted muscles untensed. Dave put a hand onto his face a rubbed at his beard with a shaking hand.

'How long will he be in this pain for?' Dave asked.

'We can't be sure. We don't know the dose of the drug he was given, or the frequency. But it could be a day or two. We need it to be over so that the surgeon can repair the bowel damage. Surgery is scheduled for Thursday morning, provided that he is through withdrawal, and the infection is gone.'

David watched the two women leave the room, and all his concentration was back on Hotch again. His eyes were closed again, he asked the same question. Aaron opened his eyes in reply, but the dark eyes had lost their lustre and seemed dull and lifeless.

'Aaron, you are going to be ok.' Dave said. 'The pain that you are feeling is withdrawal pain, as the drugs they gave you get out of your system.'

Aaron blinked, showing that he understood. He was frightened. The convulsion had left him exhausted, although he was unaware of what had happened. He felt as if he had been picked up and shaken, and he felt weak and helpless. He concentrated on moving his head, and he turned towards Dave, who was pale with shock.

Dave saw the movement, and gently touched Aaron's face, trying to comfort him.

'That's good, Aaron, you are starting to move again. Soon you will be out of this.'

-0-0-0-

Spencer lay on the top of his bed waiting for his phone to ring. He was afraid to go to sleep just in case he slept through the call, but he didn't know how he was going to stay awake. He checked his watch.

3.30

He got up and got a drink from the minibar. Soda, with some ice.

Then he left his room and went next door. He stood for a moment wondering whether to knock or not. A light knock..... not enough to waken the occupant......

The door opened and Emily stood there fully clothed, eyes red from crying.

'Hello Reid.' she said and stood back so that he could enter.

He walked stiffly to the bed and sat down. He noticed that although the bed had not been slept in, it was messed up and the pillow was on the floor. Absently he leaned forwards and picked it up.

He looked at Emily who was still standing near the door.

'I'm in love with him.' he blurted out.

There. The words were said, and now couldn't be unsaid. Emily came and sat beside him.

'I know.' she said simply.

Reid looked at her in shock.

'But how?.........'

'I'm a profiler, Spencer, and love is about the easiest emotion to read.'

'Oh.' he said, not sure of the way that the conversation was going. 'Does everyone know?'

'Well, it's not been discussed as far as I know, but they are profilers too.'

'Oh.' he said again. 'Emily, what am I going to do?' What if he.... you know......what if he dies?'

Emily put her arm around him and held onto him as he shook with fear and confusion over his feelings.

They sat like that on the bed silent for a while, Emily gently rocking back and forth as one would a distressed child. Then Reid pulled away and spoke.

'Why were you crying?' he asked simply.

'I'm worried about Hotch too.'

-0-0-0-

Aaron could feel the life returning to his limbs, and with it, the fire. He wanted to tell Dave about it, he could move his head a little now, and the movemet increased the pain. He just wanted to get out of the pain that was there at every turn. If living hurt so much, he preferred to die. Dave was still holding onto his hand, but the grip had softened as he slept. carefully, he extricated his fingers, and laid his hands down on the bed. The only thing now keeping him alive was the ventilator. His hand trembled as they rose to his throat and grasped the double tube that was filling his lungs, prolonging the agony. He carefully pulled on the tube and tore it out of the holder that kept it in place. The tube fell away, and almost instantly, his lungs stopped.

This was the best for everyone. He could no longer function properly as a human being, let alone Unit Chief. His life was over, and it was as he wanted.

He reached to Dave and touched the top of his head.

It's ok, Dave. It's right for everyone.....

And his hand fell away.

-0-0-0-

He rested his head on her shoulder and stared. His head was so full of confusing thoughts that his genius brain wasn't working properly. He suddenly jumped as his cell phone rang. He snatched the phone out of his pocket.

Rossi.

'I think you need to get over here, Spencer. Aaron is....... just get over here.'

The phone fell from Reid's trembling fingers.

'It's Hotch, Emily. We need to get there now.'

Emily picked up the phone and took Spencer by the elbow.

'Come on!'

She pushed him out of the door and he broke into a run.

The silence of the night time corridor was broken by the strident sound of the alarm. Dave was pacing outside the room, his fingers in his hair. He stopped and rested his head against the window, and wished he could see in. Reid and Emily ran out of the lift and stood by him.

'What happened?' Rossi pulled him back.

'It's ok, he's not....... he's ok for now.

'Why did you call us up here? Tell us what happened.'

'He tried.... he tried to kill himself.' Dave said, his brow creased with confusion.

'Oh my god. How?'

'He pulled out his ventilator hose. He almost asphyxiated.' Dave said. 'I was asleep, and he just pulled it out.'

'You were asleep?' Reid yelled. 'How could you! He needed you and you were sleeping?'

Reid grabbed hold of Dave's arm and roughly turned him to face him. Dave just looked at the hand and closed his eyes. Emily pulled Reid's hand away.

'Fighting isn't going to do anyone any good.' she said. 'Let's wait and see what the doctor says.'

At that moment, the alarm fell silent. Reid lowered his hand, and the doctor came out of Aaron's room.


	9. Revenge

**Vindication  
**Chapter 9  
Revenge

"_**In **__**revenge**__** and in love, woman is more barbarous than man**__**" – Friedrich Nietzsche**_

'We have sedated him, and put him in restraints for his own good. We saved him again, but if he is determined to die, he will manage it eventually.'

Dave ran to the open door and looked at his friend on the bed. How had it come to this? Aaron was restrained by the wrists to the now raised bed sides. His eyes were closed and the ventilator hissed in mockery of the man on the bed.

Dave stood aside so that Reid could come into the room. He had tears streaming down his face. He turned on Dave.

'This is down to you, Rossi. Just look at what you have done.'

'Please, not in front of Hotch.' Dave said, not denying his culpability. 'Go and get something to eat and then come back so that you can sit with him.'

Reid angrily left the room and he and Emily left for the cafe which was just opening downstairs. Dave went and sat by Aaron. 'I am so sorry, Aaron.' He took his hand and noticed the dreadful scarring. 'We all love you too much to let you go. Please don't try anything like that again.'

Gently he stroked his forehead, and Aaron didn't move.

-0-0-0-

Two floors up a young woman lay in her guarded room. She had a bandage around her leg, but she had been out of bed many times now, and walking wasn't a problem. The problem was getting out of the room without being seen.

She swung her legs off the bed and padded to the door. Through the window she could see the cop who was guarding her.

Damn him. How was she going to get rid of him?

Sooner or later he would need to go to the bathroom. She would just wait.

She didn't have to wait too long. As soon as he closed the book he was reading and walked away, she went back to her bed and put the pillow in the time tested position of someone sleeping, then she left her room and walked to the stairwell opposite.

Once behind the door she could go anywhere in the hospital. For her plan to work she needed a cell phone. So a locker room would be her first stop.

She went down one floor and stepped out into the corridor. There was very little staff in evidence because it was the change over to the day shift and the staff members were in meetings. She saw a door labelled 'STAFF ONLY' and ducked inside.

There were several coats and jackets hanging on hooks, and she quickly felt through the pockets until she found what she was looking for.

She slipped the phone into her pocket, and checked the other pockets for the other thing she needed. When she had found one, she put it in her pocket with the phone, and walked out of the room back into the corridor. The ladies toilet was two doors along, and that was her next stop.

Locking herself in a cubicle, she called the hospital switchboard.

'Good morning,' she said politely. 'Please could you tell me what ward Aaron Hotchner is on. I am a relative and I want to send him a gift.'

'He's on floor three, Flanders Ward.' the helpful operator said. The woman thanked her and closed the phone.

_Great. One floor down and I'll have him._

-0-0-0-

Spencer was feeling wretched. He sat opposite Emily in the empty cafe, his hands clasped around a cup of coffee. Rossi had been right to send him away to cool off. He could see now that it wasn't Dave's fault. He had slept while sitting with him too. He was just lucky Aaron had not done anything like that while he was there. He looked up at Emily.

'I am going to have to apologise. It wasn't Rossi's fault.' Spencer said, starting to get up. Emily put a restraining hand on his arm.

'Have something to eat first, Reid.' she said, and Spencer sat down again.

'Ok, I guess so.' he said. 'There is plenty of time to for that.'

-0-0-0-

The woman took the stairs to the floor below. There was a sign next to the door to the corridor. Flanders ward was to the left. She left the stair well and walked confidently to the ward. She opened a door to the toilet, and dialled the hospital again.

'Flanders Ward please.'

She heard the phone ring at the nurses station, and watched as it was picked up.

'I have an urgent call for the Agent who is with Aaron Hotchner.' she said.

'One moment please.' the nurse answered, and she held her breath, as the nurse rested the receiver down and went to one of the side wards.

This was too damned easy!

The nurse and Rossi came out of the room, and she closed her phone. It was easy to slip into the room where Hotchner lay helpless on the bed. She was delighted to see that he was restrained. This was the man who had caused the death of the one love in her life. She bent over the helpless man.

'This is for Amos, you bastard.'

She took the scalpel out of her pocket where she had put it when she stole it from the doctors' rest room. The silver blade glinted in the light as she tore off the sterile packet it was in.

'What a pity you are asleep, Hotchner. I would have liked to explain to you what I'm doing!'

She gripped Aaron's hair and pulled back his head to expose his unprotected neck, and she stuck the scalpel blade into the pale flesh.

-0-0-0-

Dave picked up the receiver that the nurse indicated, and was surprised that the connection had been cut. Then he realised that he had been tricked.

'Aaron!' he whispered, and dropped the receiver onto the desk and ran back down the corridor to Aaron's room. He opened the door in time to see the woman plunge the blade into Aaron's neck.

'No!' he shouted, and ran forwards.

The woman pulled the blade out, and a spurt of blood hit the pillow. She turned towards Dave.

'It was you who killed Amos.' She said, and she held the blade in front of her. 'And it was you who shot me.' She lunged forwards and stuck the blade into Dave's abdomen, until just three inched of handle was left outside his body. He stopped in his tracks, and gripped the blade. He looked down at the growing stain of blood as it ran between his fingers. He saw the woman step around him as he fell to his knees.

_Oh god, Aaron......_

He fell sideways onto the floor where the blood pooled around him. He curled up trying to stop the blood flow, to ease the pain. His last thought as darkness engulfed him was of Aaron, and he had finally done what he always knew he would. He had given his life to save his friend.

-0-0-0-

It wasn't until Reid looked at the menu that he realised just how hungry he was. He ordered a full English breakfast, and his mouth watered as he tucked into it. He remembered again that he had said some unkind things to Rossi, and all at once the meal didn't look so appetising. He had to see Rossi.

'I want to apologise to Rossi.' Reid said, standing up. 'I'll come straight back.'

Reid ran through the corridors towards Aaron's room. He couldn't enjoy his food knowing that he had misjudged a friend, and hurt him unnecessarily. He looked through the window of Aaron's room, and was surprised to see that Dave wasn't sitting next to him.

Reid frowned. Where was he?

Then he noticed the growing blood pool on Aaron's pillow. He opened the door, and almost fell over Rossi who was lying just inside the room.

Reid was standing in a pool of his blood......

_Oh my god! What has happened here?_

'Help me someone!' he shouted. 'I need help!'

Suddenly the little room was full of people. Reid stood against the wall trying to take it all in. He grabbed one of the nurses who didn't appear to be doing anything.

'Is he alive? What happened?'

'It seems the man on the floor has been stabbed. He's alive, and as soon as he's stable, he will be going the the OR.' she said. 'Mr Hotchner has a stab wound to the neck, but it isn't deep. I will stitch it up as soon as the doctor is finished.

'Please call security and lock down the hospital. Whoever did this is probably still here.' Reid said, showing her his ID. She nodded and left the room.

Reid looked down at Rossi. He was on his back, and the doctor was untubating him. Three inches of scalpel blade handle stuck from his abdomen, and blood was pooling on his shirt and running down his sides onto the floor......

Too much blood...... way too much.....

'Is he going to be ok?' Reid asked.

'I don't know. This is a very serious injury.' the doctor answered. 'Do you know how this happened?'

Reid shook his head, unable to speak lest he start to cry. He turned his back on the drama before him and called Emily.

'It's Dave.' he said. 'Someone has stabbed him. He could die.' The last part of the sentence was broken in sobs. 'The hospital is locked down. Whoever did it is probably still here.'

'The female unsub who Dave shot is in this hospital under guard. I'll go and check on her first.' Emily said. 'I'll call Morgan.'

When Reid turned back to the room, Rossi had gone and the nurse was stitching Aaron's neck.

'He is very lucky.' she said. 'The knife missed the main artery and hit the vein.'

Reid went to Aaron and held his hand. The guilt he was feeling was indescribable. He needed Dave to know how sorry he was, and now he may never be able to.

His phone rang.

'Spencer, she has gone.' Emily said. 'The cop supposedly on guard is facing disciplinary.'

'This hospital will need to be searched from top to bottom.' Reid said. 'Have you alerted Morgan? He will need to take charge now.'

'Yes, he's on his way over. I said to meet us in Hotch's room.'

Just as she said it, Morgan entered, deftly sidestepping the mess of blood on the floor.

'It's the female UnSub from the last case.' Reid said. 'The hospital is on lock down. We'll get her.'

'Dave?' Morgan said, looking at the amount of blood in horror.

'I don't know.' Reid said. 'He's in a bad way.'

Morgan could see that there was more going on here.'

'Why is Hotch in restraints?' he asked, stepping forwards to release them.

'He tried to kill himself, Derek.' Reid answered, his eyes tear filled and red.

'Why didn't you inform me?' Morgan said.

'We were going to, and then this happened.' Emily said from behind them. 'Is Hotch ok?'

The nurse had finished stitching Aaron's wounded throat, and stepped back. 'He should be ok now.' she said.

Aaron began to move as the sedative wore off. Emily took his other hand, and Morgan left to co ordinate the search.

-0-0-0-

Aaron realised he was still alive because the pain was still tearing him apart. He was crazed with agony. He had failed, and he had a new pain in his throat. He began to panic as he felt the restraints on his wrists. He remembered the paralysis and thought for a moment that he was paralysed again. He wanted to scream and claw at his throat, he fought to release his hands.

Voices were speaking to him, calling to him. He forced his eyes open and looked around. Reid and Emily were there with him. Dave was missing.

Emily stroked his face.

'Hotch, please don't do that again.' Emily said, tears in her eyes. 'You are loved and needed.'


	10. Endings

A/N This chapter is shorter than usual. My favourite cat died yesterday and I don't feel like doing anything really  
Thank you to all my reviewers. Luv Aggie x

**Vindication  
**Chapter 10  
Endings

'_**A Hospital is no place to be sick.'**__** - **__**Samuel Goldwyn**_

Dave was in the OR for a long time. It was touch and go for a while because of all the internal damage and blood loss, but the fight was won, and hr pulled through the operation. Spencer had stationed himself outside recovery, waiting for him.

'He will be in Intensive care when he had been through recovery.' the doctor had told him. 'I will let you know as soon as he is well enough to have visitors.

'I'd rather wait, thank you.' Reid had said, and maintained his vigil outside the room.

He was riven with guilt. He knew also that if he hadn't come back to see Dave when he did, Dave would almost certainly be dead, but he needed to apologise for what he had said earlier. The fact that Dave hadn't defended himself under the onslaught indicated how he had been feeling when he was attacked.

The police were working with the security staff in searching the hospital. Reid was glad of the chance of sitting here getting his thoughts in order. Although that wasn't as easy as it at first seemed.

-0-0-0-

The search was over and there was no sign of the woman. Morgan clenched his fists in frustration as he made his way back to Aaron's room. Dave had promised that Aaron should not be alone, and in the confusion, he wasn't sure if Emily was with him or not.

When he got to Aaron's room he saw that he was alone, and staring at the ceiling with wide eyes. Who ever had stitched his neck wound hadn't changed his pillow, and his head was lying in blood.

Morgan thought that maybe they'd had enough to do, what with trying to catch a killer and all. But this man deserved the best treatment.

Derek went into the room and sat next to Aaron.

'It's me, Boss-Man.' He gently lifted Aaron's head and removed the pillow. Then he went next door and took one off an unused bed, and returned to Aaron with it.

'I know it's horrible that you are restrained, but it's because you tried to pull out your respirator.' Morgan said gently as he replaced the pillow. 'In the morning, they are going to do some repair work on you, and then the tube will be out of your throat and you will be able to communicate again.'

Aaron moved his hand in a writing motion.

'I'll get a pen and paper.' Morgan said, searching through the drawers at the side of the bed. He found some and put the pen in Aaron's hand and held the paper for him.

He wrote on the paper a single word.

"_Dave"_

'I'll go find out.' Morgan said, and hurried out of the room.

-0-0-0-

Emily was sitting alone in the cafe. Reid's breakfast had long since been cleared away, and she sat with her hands clasped around a cold cup of coffee.

When Reid had gone off to wait for Rossi to come out of the OR, she found herself alone with Aaron.

And straight away she remembered what had happened before when his heart had failed and they had almost lost him.

That was shortly after she had rejected him, and although she didn't think she would have that affect on him again, she was afraid to stay alone with him, so she had fled to the cafe.

Aaron was not meant to be alone, but she thought his sanity was more important.

She took a sip of coffee and gagged. She took it back to the counter and ordered another one.

-0-0-0-

Reid's thoughts were going round and round in his head in eternal circles. His priority was to make amends with Dave. He knew that Dave must be feeling guilty anyway; he was sorry he added to his sadness.

He also needed to speak to Hotch as soon as he was well enough, and he had to get the words right.

He was having difficulty dealing with the anxiety of the past few months. He was afraid that his love for the man was going to affect his work. He lived most of his life in fear that something was going to happen to him, and the only answer that he could see was asking for a transfer. That way Aaron would be freed from Reid's love, and Reid would not have the constant desperate fear every time Hotch was out in the field.

But he didn't think that he would be able to cope with never seeing Aaron again.

Maybe he'd ask advice from Dave.....

..... if he makes it.....

The sound of the door opening broke into his reverie.

'Doctor Reid?'

Reid spun round to face the nurse.

'Mr Rossi is out of theatre and is recovering.' she said, 'When you see him, it will only be for a few minutes. He will be very closely monitored and may need further surgery. I will come for you when he is ready.'

A few minutes. That's all the time he needed to apologise to him. he sat down on the floor of the corridor with his knees bent up and his arms clasped around his legs and waited.

-0-0-0-

Aaron was being prepped for surgery. The infection was under control and most of the drug was out of his system, although the pain of withdrawal was still bad. The pain was always there, but the agonising cramps came in waves and completely knocked him back. Each time he prayed that it would be the last, but it never was.

The doctor explained to Aaron what he was going to try to do. He was going to reattach his bowel where the unsub had cut it. They didn't know what they would find when they looked, but they hoped that reattachment would be possible.

Aaron felt the premed take effect and he drifted into that nothing place that felt so safe and gentle, where there was no pain and no grief. Only comfort.

-0-0-0-

Dave slowly eased into consciousness and was immediately aware of the throbbing ache in his abdomen. He tried to remember what had happened.

Aaron was being attacked, and the woman who was attacking him was the same woman that he had shot when they rescued Aaron.

The woman had attacked him..... he thought she had hit him, but it was obviously worse than that, the pain he was feeling now.

Maybe he'd been stabbed.

He carefully opened his eyes and looked to see where he was. That was when he saw Spencer sitting beside him

He was surprised. Spencer was the last person he expected to see.

'Hello.' Reid said, putting his hand over Rossi's.

Dave smiled weakly. 'Hello.' he mouthed.

'Don't try and talk, Dave. I need to talk to you.'

Dave tried to move his hand. He wanted to say that he understood why Reid was upset with him, and he was sorry. Then Reid said,

'I'm sorry, Rossi. What happened to Hotch wasn't your fault. I'm sorry I let off at you. I was wrong.'

Rossi smiled again, and turned over his hand and gripped Reid's.

'_That's ok, Reid.'_

-0-0-0-

Aaron's operation was going well. The re attachment worked, and he was now back in the recovery room where he was gradually coming round.

'The operation was a success.' the recovery nurse said, gently touching his forehead. 'We have removed the tracheotomy tube, and there is now a tube in your throat. In a few hours we will remove that and you will be able to breathe on your own, and talk.'

Hotch tried to smile although it was difficult with a tube in his mouth. The nurse patted his arm and left him to rest.

-0-0-0-

In a dingy alley way two blocks from the hospital, a woman was trying to wash blood off her hands in some rain water that had collected on the caved in lid of a dumpster. She had killed the man who shot her, more to the point, who had shot Amos and killed him. She failed to kill Hotchner though. She couldn't think why she had not simply slashed his throat, but she might not have got away so easily had she killed them both.

Nothing was going right. She looked down at herself. Her clothes were relatively free of blood, and she had managed to wash most of Rossi's blood off her hands and arms. She just wanted a hotel to spend the night, cut off her hair and tidy herself up a bit, and most important, she needed some money.

It wouldn't be the first time she had prostituted herself, and wouldn't be the last.

But she swore in that garbage strewn alley that she wouldn't rest until Amos was avenged.

-0-0-0-

EPILOGUE TO FOLLOW.


	11. Epilogue Conversations

**Vindication  
**The Epilogue – Conversations

"_**Silences make the real **__**conversations**__** between friends. Not the saying but the never needing to say is what counts.**__**" – Margaret Lee Runbeck**_

Spencer paced up and down the walkway trying to get the courage together to go and speak with David. He knew what he needed to say, but he wasn't sure exactly which words to use....

_Rossi, I've got a crush on Hotch....  
Rossi, I think I need to request a transfer.....  
I'm in love with Aaron....  
I have a personal issue......_

Dammit!! How was he going to do this?

He was getting a strange look from Morgan as he paced the length of the walkway again, and so biting his lip he knocked on Rossi's door.

The door was open, and Dave beckoned him in. Reid closed the door behind him.

'Dave, I have a problem.' he blurted.

'Sit down, Spencer. You'll wear out my carpet.'

Reid sat and looked at his hands. Dave didn't say anything. He folded his hands across his chest and waited.

How to put this? He bit his lip, trying to think of the right words. Instead he said,

'I'm in love with Aaron, and it's affecting my work.' he said.

'I know.' Dave said gently. 'Does Hotch know about this?'

Reid nodded sadly. 'He said he could never reciprocate, but we will always have a special relationship – really close friends.'

Dave thought about his own feelings. He had been married three times, and failed three times. Now for the first time in his life, he had an inkling as to why he couldn't hold a marriage together. His relationship with Aaron had started as close friends, but had got a lot closer since his marriage had failed. He wondered if Aaron ever felt the same? He doubted it. He had rejected the life that Reid offered to him. He would likely reject him too. He stopped his mind wandering and listened to Reid.

'..... and I know I will always put him first in the field if there was danger, and I know that this is unacceptable.'

'But you putting Aaron first in the last case led to Aaron being rescued, and you saved my life twice.'

'But what if it doesn't work out like that? What if my love for Aaron puts the other team members in danger?'

'What are you saying, Spencer?'

'I think I ought to put in for a transfer.' Reid blinked back the tears that were starting to fill his eyes. The last thing he wanted was to be away from Aaron. It was breaking his heart thinking about it, but he couldn't see any other way out.

And the reasons he'd given Rossi weren't the whole truth. The real reason was he wanted to free Aaron to find another relationship. All the time he was there, he suspected that Aaron would feel held back from being with someone out of deference to Reid's feelings. And Reid didn't want Aaron to be lonely because of him.

'Ok, I understand what you are saying, Spencer, but it is a big decision. Are you going to talk to Aaron about it?'

'That's why I came to you, Rossi. I want your advice.' Reid said.

'My honest advice? It's not good to work with someone that you are in love with, reciprocated or not.' he said. 'You could always be compromised when emotions become involved. If you really think that the team would be better without you, and this is how Hotch would see it, then talk to Hotch about a transfer. It must be your decision to speak to him, but once you do, if he wants you to transfer, that will be it. Hotch will always put the team first.'

Reid looked down at his hands as a tear splashed onto his entwined fingers.

'Hotch might still want you on his team regardless. But I agree. You really need to talk to him about it.'

Reid stood up. 'Thank you Dave.' he said with a shaky voice, and picking up his messenger bag, he left the office.

Dave sighed. He felt hypocritical not mentioning his own feelings, but he thought he was old enough to have learned how to keep his emotions under control. Unlike Reid, who wore his heart on his sleeve, he didn't think anybody else knew of his feelings for Hotch. Especially not Hotch himself.

He thought back to the time in hospital when Hotch, in the throes of withdrawal, tried to asphyxiate himself, and how wretched he had felt for falling asleep. If Hotch had only known how much he was loved he would never have tried it.

So he had sent Reid to speak to Hotch. What should he himself do? Should he retire again, write another book, transfer, or see if he could carry on keeping his feelings in check?

It was a difficult decision to make, and one that he would not make today.

-0-0-0-

Reid didn't go straight to Hotch's office, but went down into the bull pen and sat at his desk, and opened his laptop. Dave sat alone for a few minutes, and then picked up the phone and called Hotch.

'No I'm not busy. Do you want to come to my office?'

'Actually, Aaron, if you don't mind, would you come to me? I'll explain when you get here.'

'Ok.' Hotch said, sounding slightly confused. 'Give me five while I get coffee. Shall I bring you one?'

'Yes please.' Dave said, and put the phone down. He wasn't sure why he had called Aaron. He needed to tell him how Reid was feeling about working in the BAU. It was his duty as second in charge to tell Hotch anything that he found out that could affect the team. But was he about to tell Aaron how he felt? He didn't think so. Not yet anyway. But if the conversation led up to it, who knows?......

There was a knock on his open door, and Aaron stepped in.

'Door closed?' Aaron asked. Dave nodded, and Aaron pulled it shut. He was still unwell, and had somehow managed to bluff his way through the medical. He limped to the chair facing Dave's desk 'I've brought you coffee.' he said, putting Dave's on the desk, and sitting down opposite him, sipping his.

'It's about Reid.' Dave said without preamble. 'He's just come to me with some information, and I didn't want him to think that I'd gone straight to you with it. That's why I asked you to come here.'

'Dave, the man's a genius. I think he'll work it out!'

Dave sighed. 'Yeah, I guess he will.'

'So what did he tell you?'

'Do you know about how he feels about you?' Dave asked, feeling a flush of hypocrisy.

'He did come to me a few months back, before...... before the rape case, and talk to me about personal feelings. So yes, I do know how he feels.'

'I was going to speak to you anyway about him, and then he came to me with the same thoughts. Aaron, he's thinking about leaving the BAU.' Dave shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Hotch watched him with interest, but didn't say anything.

'In this last case I have worked closely with him. He puts you above the team, Aaron. Now in this last case, that has saved your life and mine, and turned out to be beneficial to the case. But what if it turned out to be detrimental? Lives could be lost, and that is basically that is why he is considering asking for a transfer.'

Aaron ran his fingers through his hair and pushed the wayward lock off his forehead. Time for a haircut.

'I see. And is he going to come to me about it?'

'That's the advice I gave him.' Dave said. 'But I'm not sure that he will.'

'And what about you, Dave?'

Dave looked at Aaron in shock. Did he know?'

'Me?'

'Yes. Are you going to tell me about Reid in an official capacity? Do you want me to put this on his file?'

'Oh! Right. Maybe not just yet. Wait and see what he does first.'

'What did you think I meant?'

'Oh.....uh nothing.'

Aaron tilted his head in that way of his, and stood up to leave.

'I'll let you know if anything happens.' He limped to the door and glanced curiously back at Dave.

Rossi blew out his cheeks as Aaron closed the door behind him. He had almost said something then. It wasn't the time. Not yet.

He picked up his cold coffee and took a sip.

-0-0-0-

Aaron limped back to his office, his mind full of the strange conversation that he had just had with Dave. It was almost as if two conversations were going on at the same time; one vocal and onen silent. It was the silent one that interested him the most. He had already been thinking about Reid. So what had gone unsaid in Rossi's office?

He put it to the back of his mind and picked up his phone. It would be hard for Reid to come to him with these thoughts, so Hotch would make it easier for him.

'Reid, can I see you for a moment?'

He watched Reid through the window as he picked up his messenger bag and put it over his shoulder. His comfort zone, thought Hotch. Something to hide behind when he felt nervous. He half ran up the steps and knocked on his office door.

Aaron beckoned him in, and Reid sat down opposite him. Hotch pulled his chair round so that they were sitting on the same side of the desk. Aaron wanted to make him as comfortable as possible.

'I need to speak to you about something.' Aaron began.

'I need to tell you something too.' Reid said, trying to look directly at Aaron and failing.

'Ok, You go first.'

'Well. I..... uh..... well, you know about my feelings for you, Hotch.' he said. 'I am afraid that it might be getting in the way of my work.' he paused, unsure how to carry on. He felt his face burn with embarrassment. 'I can't help putting your welfare above that of the team.'

He blinked. His eyes and mouth suddenly felt very dry and uncomfortable. Aaron wanted to smile at him, but he needed to keep this official.

'I am given to understand that your putting me above the team actually led to my release, and saved Rossi's life twice, to say nothing of taking out the UnSub. Your actions have not been to the detriment of the team.'

'But they could. That is why I want to request a transfer.'

The words were out. The last thing Reid wanted was a transfer away from the man he loved. But he needed to do it, for Aaron's sake. Suddenly he felt the need to tell Hotch everything.

'I am very much in love with you, Aaron, and it kills me every time you face danger, every time you are out in the field, I fear for your life, and it's breaking me up. I don't think I can take it. The anguish every time you are hurt hurts me more than I can stand. And I need to free you to love someone else without fearing for my feelings.'

Reid stopped and bit his lip. Tears welled up in his wide eyes, and he stared at his hands, watching the tears fall onto them and run into his lap.

Hotch didn't say anything for a moment. The intensity of Reid's feelings floored him, and he didn't know what to say.

'We all face danger every day.' he said at last. 'And although the last three cases have been especially bad for me, it won't always be like that, Spencer. I think that your actions in the last case are nothing short of heroic, and David and I owe our lives to you. The team needs you, Reid, and unless you really want this, I can't sanction a transfer. I need to put the team first, and you are needed here.

'I don't want to leave the BAU.' Reid finally said. 'I have made a family here that I never had before. But I need to be certain what I want. I guess I hoped that you would make it easy for me and tell me what I should do.'

'Take some leave, Reid. Take a week, and see how you feel at the end of that time. Unless a case comes in, you are free until next Monday. Then we can have another chat if that's what you want, or you can resume work as if this conversation never took place.'

Reid stood up.

'Thank you, Hotch. I might go to Vegas and visit Mum.' he smiled.

Hotch smiled now, pleased at how the conversation had gone.

Reid left Hotch's office, feeling more confident than he had for a long time.

He had a week. Surely he would get his head together in that time......

-0-0-0-

END

A/N ' This is the end of 'Vindication'. My next story carries on from here, and will be called 'Hell's Fury'. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, especially those who give me ideas – you know who you are . Your comments are very welcome. Aggie xxx


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